Apparatus for holding and positioning X-ray film, photostimulable phosphor plates or digital sensors while taking dental radiographs

Abstract

A positioner arm for positioning an imaging material, an imaging material holder, an aiming device or a combination thereof is disclosed that includes at least one positioning arm having a first end and a second end, wherein each arm comprises at least two fixed arm angles and wherein at least one angle is not a 90 degree angle. Methods of obtaining non-right angle views of a patient during x-ray imaging of the patient's mouth are also disclosed that include: providing a positioner arm for positioning an imaging material, an imaging material holder, an aiming device or a combination thereof, wherein the positioner arm comprises at least one positioning arm having a first end and a second end, wherein each arm comprises at least two fixed arm angles, and wherein at least one angle is not a 90 degree angle; coupling the positioner arm with an imaging material, an imaging material holder, an aiming device or a combination thereof; and imaging the patient's mouth, wherein the imaging is taken at a non-right angle.

I claim: 
     
       1. A positioner arm for positioning an imaging material, an imaging material holder, an aiming device or a combination thereof, comprising:
 at least one positioning arm having a first end and a second end, wherein each arm comprises at least four fixed arm angles, wherein the four fixed arm angles lie in the same plane and wherein at least one angle is not a 90 degree angle. 
 
     
     
       2. The positioner arm of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one extension rod, at least one imaging material holder or a combination thereof located at or near the second end. 
     
     
       3. The positioner arm of  claim 2 , further comprising an imaging material coupled with the at least one extension rod, at least one imaging material holder or the combination thereof. 
     
     
       4. The positioner arm of  claim 1 , wherein the angle closest to the first end is greater than 90 degrees. 
     
     
       5. The positioner arm of  claim 4 , wherein the angle closest to the first end is at least 120 degrees. 
     
     
       6. The positioner arm of  claim 1 , further comprising an aiming device. 
     
     
       7. The positioner of  claim 3 , wherein the imaging material holder comprises a body and at least two openings defined by the body, the openings being adapted to receive at least two extension rods. 
     
     
       8. A method of obtaining non-right angle views of a patient during x-ray imaging of the patient's mouth, comprising:
 providing a positioner arm for positioning an imaging material, an imaging material holder, an aiming device or a combination thereof, wherein the positioner arm comprises at least one positioning arm having a first end and a second end, wherein each arm comprises least four fixed arm angles, wherein the four fixed arm angles lie in the same plane, and wherein at least one angle is not a 90 degree angle; 
 coupling the positioner arm with an imaging material, an imaging material holder, an aiming device or a combination thereof; and 
 imaging the patient's mouth, wherein the imaging is carried out taken at a non-right angle. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising at least one extension rod, at least one imaging material holder or a combination thereof located at or near the second end. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising an imaging material coupled with the at least one extension rod, at least on imaging material holder or the combination thereof. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the imaging material holder comprises a body and at least two openings defined by the body, the openings being adapted to receive at least two extension rods. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising at least two extension rods located at or near the second end, wherein the rods are designed to hold an imaging material, imaging material holder or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the angle closest to the first end is greater than 90 degrees. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the angle closest to the first end is at least 120 degrees. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising an aiming device. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus comprising:
 a positioning arm having four fixed arm angles that lie in a single plane, one of the four fixed arm angles being 90 degrees and three of the fixed arm angles not being 90 degrees; 
 an imaging material holder positioned adjacent a first end of the positioning arm; and 
 an aiming device positioned adjacent a second end of the positioning arm. 
 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the four fixed arm angles comprise a first fixed arm angle, a second fixed arm angle, a third fixed arm angle, and a fourth fixed arm angle sequentially positioned from the first end to the second end of the positioning arm; wherein the first fixed arm angle is 90 degrees, the second fixed arm angle is an acute angle, and the third fixed arm angles is an obtuse angle, and the fourth fixed arm angle is at least 120 degrees. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein straight portions define the positioning arm between the first fixed arm angle and the second fixed arm angle, between the second fixed arm angle and the third fixed arm angle, and between the third fixed arm angle and the fourth fixed arm angle. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 18 , the positioning arm further comprises two extension rods extending from an end straight portion of the positioning arm between the first end and the first fixed arm angle, the two extension rods projecting perpendicular to the end straight portion on a side opposite a side of the generally straight portion between the first fixed arm angle and the second fixed arm angle, wherein the four fixed arm angles, the straight portions, the end straight portion, and two extension rods lie in the single plane. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the imaging material holder comprises a body having two openings, the openings being configured to receive the two extension rods, and the aiming device is configured to slide along a second end straight portion of the positioning arm from proximate the fourth fixed arm angle to the second end.